an ice skater, a family, and a turkey
by writerdragonfly
Summary: A few months after Michael's arrival and two years after Nora's, they attempt to have a family Thanksgiving. It goes about as well as you'd expect. Sequel to "two men, a tween, and a dimension traveling baby".


She's not exactly comfortable walking into this. It's not that she doesn't like his family-she does, mostly. Detective West is still standoffish and protective, even though it's nearly been a year since he found out about Len. And in the months since Nora had manipulated them, Iris had become one of her closest friends-something she never expected possible.

But Iris had invited her, Barry had invited her.

Nora had definitely invited her.

So Lisa takes a deep breath and knocks.

Nora answers the door in a butter yellow dress and her dark hair cut just below her chin. She's grinning and Lisa thinks she must've grown an inch or two since she last saw her.

"Auntie Lise!" The twelve year old wraps herself around Lisa's waist, squeezing tightly.

"Nora-bug. Is everyone inside then?"

"Len had to go somewhere, I don't know when he's gonna get back. Iris and Eddie just got here though."

"Oh... that's-"

"Happy Thanksgiving, Lisa," Iris interrupts before Lisa can make an escape. She's smirking, which tells Lisa that Iris is well aware of what she was thinking.

"Happy Thanksgiving. Now, where can I hide?"

"Actually, you could hide with Caitlin. She's in the guest room."

"Caitlin's here?"

"Oh, yeah. She is not very happy at the moment. I didn't catch the details, she didn't want to say around the kids."

"Wasn't she supposed to go see Ronnie's parents?"

"Ah, that's right. You should go check on her, I've got to help Dad in the kitchen."

Iris points her towards the guest room and Lisa obediently follows.

She knocks a couple times before pulling the door open anyway, slipping inside before Caitlin can protest.

"You look like shit, Snow," Lisa notes, because Caitlin really does. She's obviously been crying, which only serves to piss Lisa off.

She's not mad at Caitlin, of course, but at whatever shitty thing Ronnie's parents apparently pulled.

"... I know," Caitlin just replies, no attempt at humor or deflection.

Damn, now she's really pissed.

"What the fuck happened, Cait?"

"I... Shut the door?" Caitlin asks, taking a deep breath in.

Lisa complies without comment before walking back over to Caitlin and sitting next to her on the bed.

"What happened?"

"... I wasn't close to my dad, you know. I didn't... We... We didn't talk. I didn't visit him. I... Ronnie, Ronnie made me _want_ to."

"Wasn't?"

"My dad had a heart attack. A few weeks after... after Ronnie died, and I... God, I was such a mess... Ronnie's parents, they were... all I had."

"Cait..."

"But I'm not their kid. I wasn't Ronnie's _wife_. I'm just... just another fucking reminder that he's dead because of me. I should never have come to see them."

"What the fuck, Cait-did they _say_ that to you?"

"And they're _right_ aren't they? It's my-"

"Stop, right there. It is not your fault. It's _not_. Unless you can tell me that you shot him, stabbed him, poisoned him-it's not your fault."

"He died in the particle accelerator explosion. He was only there... only there to be with me, it _is_ -"

"Didn't you lot say it was that other guy that _deliberately sabotaged_ the thing? That dumbass pretending to be Harrison Wells?"

"Yes, but-"

"But _nothing_. _He's_ the one who killed Ronnie. He's the one who fucked all this shit up, it is not your fucking fault. Ronnie's parents are fucking assholes, so screw them. They're _not_ right. They might not want to be your family, but we do. So shut the fuck up, clean up your face, and let's go be totally awkward in this cop's living room."

-x-

Barry smiles as Nora spins her way into the kitchen, her yellow dress twirling around her. She's grinning, her smile open and wide. She doesn't look quite so much like Terran anymore. He thinks she's slowly morphing into something balanced between them, something all _Nora_ and less her parents.

He likes it.

He knows he has a lot to be thankful for. The past two years with Nora have been the two _best_ years of his life, he thinks. He didn't _expect_ Nora, doesn't think he ever could have. But he loves her, can't really imagine life without her in it now that she's here. It's hard to remember those first few months, relearning his life, learning the depth of his newfound abilities, learning his new _reality._ It's hard to remember those times without picturing Nora there, even though he knows he didn't even know about her then.

He's thankful for every moment he has with her, thankful for every moment yet to come with her.

And he's thankful for what she _brought_ him. She settled something in his life he hadn't known needed settling, brought him purpose outside of his duties in his job and his _job_ , brought him happiness.

And she brought him something he'd never _expected_ , because she brought him _Len_.

Barry's thankful for his little girl, thankful for his family-not just Joe and Iris and his dad and Nora, but for Caitlin and Cisco and Lisa and Michael and Len.

He's thankful for Len, who crept into his personal life when he wasn't expecting it, slipped into his bed on impulse, wormed his way into his heart when they were least expecting it.

He's thankful for Len, who chose to stay in their lives even when the easier path would have been to continue down the road he'd been on his entire adult life.

Len, who abandoned him with Joe in the middle of the afternoon on Thanksgiving with absolutely no explanation.

"Happy Thanksgiving, sir," Lisa says suddenly, pulling Barry away from his distracted thoughts.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Miss Snart," Joe replies and Barry almost groans.

-x-

Nora is aware that her grandpa Joe doesn't care for Len or his sister. She's not stupid. But she loves them both, Len especially.

She doesn't know the details of what Len used to be into-she knows he's a thief, and a good one-but beyond that she hasn't asked and no one's told her.

She doesn't think she _wants_ to know.

She knows that it's caused some contention between her dad and Grandpa Joe, even though they try not to show it in front of her. And her grandpa is trying, he really is. It had been his idea for them to invite Len and Lisa to Thanksgiving, she'd heard him.

She thinks he's been trying harder since Michael came into their lives, since Len stopped pretending he slept anywhere else but with her dad.

And she _loves_ her little brother, every little bit of him.

Even when he's crying, like he is now.

"Daaaaaad! Michael's crying again!" Nora calls, smirking when her dad barrels his way out of the kitchen.

He picks Michael up out of the playpen, making little shushing sounds.

"No wonder my brother's so smitten, you look good with a baby, Allen," her aunt Lisa says, which sets both Iris and Caitlin off into strangled laughter.

"Where did he go, by the way?" Iris asks after a moment, looking pointedly at her dad.

"Said he had to take care of something and that he'd be back soon. I don't really know," her dad admits as he shakes one of Michael's chubby little hands.

Nora shares a little grin with Grandpa Joe.

-x-

Len pulls his bike to a stop in front of the little house, sighing when he notices the cutesy little car parked in the driveway.

He doesn't know-not for sure-but considering Mick's usual choice of companion, he's pretty sure he knows who's here.

The curtains in Mick's living room shift, and then his front door flies open. Sera bolts out, her feet bare.

She stops just short of him and stares down at her feet.

"What's wrong, Sare?" Len asks, because sixteen year olds don't usually go outside barefoot when it's nearly winter.

"My mom's inside. Asking Da for a place to stay. She wants to get to know her kids, she said."

"And your dad?"

"I don't know."

"Go get your shoes on. And a jacket," Len tells her, because he's really not sure what else to do.

He follows her inside.

Mick is standing in the doorway between his kitchen and the living room, Hadyn on his hip. He looks surprisingly domestic, a dish towel over his shoulder.

"Damn it, Cece, you can't just _do_ this," Mick is growling, and even without the entire story Len thinks Mick's right.

"They're my kids too, Mickey!" the slender woman yells back from a few feet away. She's all mocha curves and short cropped hair.

"Don't call me that, Cee."

"Mick, we're late for Thanksgiving dinner," Len interrupts, smirking when the woman turns to glare at him.

"And who do you think you are?"

"He's my partner, Cece," Mick says without a hint of hesitation, "which you would know if you-"

"Da, I've got Din's bag packed," Sera interrupts, a yellow backpack over her shoulder.

"Din? You named my kid-"

"I think you need to cool off, ma'am. Why don't you head back to your hotel, take a little swim?" Len interrupts as he looks her over again.

She's older than he first thought, easily in her mid forties. Her application of makeup hides it well, but her eyes... her eyes tell the truth of it.

"I'll be back tomorrow, Mick. I expect to see both of my younger girls when I am," Cece says, before she stomps out of his house.

"Late for Thanksgiving dinner?" Mick asks him in the ensuing silence.

"Your _partner_?" Len asks in return, raising an eyebrow.

"Worked, didn't it? Why are you here, Len?"

"The princess mentioned that the girls were all alone for Thanksgiving and I was drafted into collecting them-and you, if you were interested. I'm fairly certain he doesn't think you'll take him up on the offer, but it would take the heat off me tonight."

Mick stares at him for a minute, then looks over at Sera, who's nodding excitedly.

"Cece's probably going to try and come back as soon as you leave anyway. Might as well."

The knock on the front door was not unexpected, though Barry certainly didn't expect to see Mick Rory standing there. He had Haydn bundled up in his arms, and Sera at his side.

Len is just behind them, smirking.

"Hi...?" Barry says, and Sera barrels her way inside.

"Thanks," Mick says gruffly before making his way past him too.

"What are they...?"

"Detective West's idea, Barry. Show his support of us while giving those two little girls a good holiday."

Barry had to admit that it sounded like Joe.

"And he agreed to come?"

"Sera and Haydn's mom was over there when I arrived. I get the feeling he didn't want to be left alone with her."

"Oh..." Barry replies softly.

"Took you long enough to show up," Lisa haughtily interrupts, smirking at her older brother.

Barry rolls his eyes, and tugs Len inside.

-x-

The house is loud. The house is loud and full and it's _good_ , even if he'd rather a couple of his guests _weren't_ his guests.

He's always wanted this, a house full of family. When Iris was still a baby, he could still envision it. Picture him and Francine and Iris and a handful of other children. Even once Barry started staying with them, once both of them grew up, he still wanted it.

Once he knew that it wasn't likely that _he'd_ have any more children, he started to picture Barry and Iris' brood of children descending on the house for birthdays and holidays. He hadn't expected them for years, and he'd always thought...

He'd always expected them to be Iris _and_ Barry's kids.

But he doesn't regret Nora coming into Barry's life, doesn't regret her coming into his. He loves that little girl to pieces.

And while he's not happy with Iris being with a cop, he does like Eddie. He fits her, somehow. He thinks that he fits her a lot of the same ways that Barry would, if-but Eddie's been with her long enough that he's not upset with them anymore.

He doesn't _like_ Snart. He's not unaware of that, no one is. He doesn't think he ever _could_ like the man. He knows too much about who he is as a criminal, knows too much about his kill count, about the level of violence he controls.

But, if he's being honest with himself, he kind of likes _Len_. The more time he spends with the man, the more he can see the distinction. The more he learns about him-personally and second-hand-the more he _knows_ there is one.

He's never, however, telling _anyone_ that.

Especially not Barry.

What he thinks he likes most about Len isn't the obvious love he has for Barry, which is always a little disconcerting to witness. No, what he likes most about him is his utter adoration of Nora and Michael. His _devotion_. He knows that on Leonard Snart's list of important things, it's Nora and Michael, and his sister, and Barry that mean the most.

But again, he's not going to admit that.

Nora had been the one to bring up Sera and Haydn. He'd heard about them, of course, from Nora and Barry and even Iris. Especially Iris, actually. His little girl had bonded with the teenager, and he couldn't be prouder of her for it.

So Nora had been the one to mention them having no plans for Thanksgiving outside spending it with their father, but it had been Joe who asked Len to invite them over.

He'd _known_ who their father was, but he honestly didn't expect the man to accept the invite himself.

It was hard to picture him as a hardened criminal when Mick Rory was standing in the middle of his living room in blue jeans and a flannel shirt with a toddler on his hip, especially when he looked down at her with that unmistakable look on his face.

"Thanks, Detective," the man says, and he flashes him a little attempt at a smile before turning back to his daughter.

"Any time," Joe says, and he finds that he means it. He doesn't want Mick Rory over all the time-ever, really-but he doesn't think he'd mind having Sera and Haydn over. They remind him of Iris, especially Sera.

"Dad! Timer's going off!" Iris interrupts, and Joe makes his escape.

-x-

It's awkward as hell, especially now that Mick is here, but Detective West is trying. He really is, unlike the last time.

The less said about Nora's birthday party, the better, right?

It's awkward, but it's not bad. Being able to spend time around women she doesn't have to explain herself to, being able to spend time around Len and her niece and nephew, being able to be a part of a _family_ , no matter how oddly defined, it's _nice_.

Caitlin is relaxing, spending time with them. Lisa can tell by the way her shoulders soften, the way her smile gets less brittle.

She hates Ronnie's parents for what they did to her, but she's glad that Caitlin thought to come here. She doesn't want to imagine what might've happened if Caitlin had returned to her tiny apartment, alone.

"Bird should be done in about half an hour," Detective West announces, and Lisa finds that she's actually _excited_ for it. She's never been with anyone who celebrated Thanksgiving, and the less said about growing up the better, and she _has_ always wanted to know what it was like.

Awkward or not, she's excited.

It's weird.

"Can I hold her?" Caitlin asks Mick, which honestly surprises Lisa. Not only what she's asking, but the fact that she's asking him at all.

"Haydn, do you wanna sit with Doctor Snow?" Mick asks his daughter, and Lisa smiles-just a little-when Haydn nods.

She also catalogues that shy little smile that Caitlin gives Mick, because there's no way she's _not_ going to ask about that. Later, with lots of alcohol and junk food.

Mick joins the boys on the other side of the room, obviously happy for the reprieve.

"She's not..." Caitlin starts, then stops abruptly. Lisa watches her again, a little worried.

"Haydn?"

"I'll tell you later... How are you doing, Haydn?" Caitlin asks the little girl, who is as quiet as usual.

She doesn't know what else is going on with Caitlin, but she thinks... No, she knows she's going to find out. Soon.

Lisa just watches, following strings of conversation where she can but not entering any of them. Everyone is relaxing more and more the longer they sit together in the house and she thinks it's probably a good thing. Certainly, definitely _better_ than Nora's birthday.

-x-

She's pretty sure they only have enough food because her dad wanted to over-prepare. She doesn't see a problem with it-they obviously have the mouths to feed with it.

There's certainly not enough room at the table though, so most of them shuffle back out into the living room with heaping plates of food. She's no exception-that had been the first sign, her wildly increased appetite.

"Hey, Snart!" Her dad interrupts Barry and Len arguing over who's feeding Michael, his voice in stern parent/detective mode, "Hand over my grandson, I'll feed him."

Everyone goes silent, except for Michael who's still babbling away.

And then Len hands over the baby, who happily starts babbling at her dad instead.

Barry's grinning when Iris looks over at him, wide and happy. It's a good look on him, and she finds herself grinning too.

The silence breaks just as abruptly as it had started, the house becoming a cacophony of voices again. She likes it, and she likes that she can look around the place and see nothing but smiles.

Eddie squeezes her hand before he turns back to his food, nodding his head with a faint blush on his cheeks.

She could wait, announce things at Christmas. She knows Eddie would back her up, but...

"Hey, Caitlin?" Iris asks, making her voice loud enough to carry over everyone else.

"Yeah?" Caitlin answers, looking up from where she's feeding Haydn with the sweetest smile on her face.

"You wanna be the baby's godmother?"

Everyone goes silent again, though Eddie's _beaming_ where he sits next to her.

"Iris, you're?" her dad asks, looking over Michael's head at her with his own happy smile.

"Having a baby!" Eddie blurts out.

The congratulations start pouring out, and Iris relaxes into her seat with a smile.

Doesn't matter how the rest of the night goes.

The day's already been amazing.

-x-


End file.
